suzannecruisecritic

Thank you for answering questions. It is very helpful. We sail her next September 1st on the Alaska inside passage cruise. Which days are the best for reserving the cabana? Also, which night(s) was the Galla dinner? I am trying to plan when to book the specialty restaurants. Thanks again!

 

 

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If your itinerary is similar to ours (2 sea days total, plus Glacier bay, and stopping in ports of Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway) I would suggest renting the cabana on any of the sea days and/or Glacier bay day because you'll get more use than on the port days. Keep in mind that Glacier Bay day the boat doesn't dock so it's kind of a sea day... but with some of the most stunning scenery I've ever seen. Any or all three of those days would be a good option for the cabana. Everyday of our cruise there were almost always loungers available around the pool (this ship didn't seem to have a culture of everyone hoarding tons of loungers by placing objects all over them early in the mornings) so I don't think the cabanas are a "must" but they were a nice treat as you could order drinks and lunch there instead of trying to find a table at the Lido which was way too busy on our sea days.

I think gala nights were 2nd night and last night of cruise (Sunday/Friday) but I'm not 100% sure. Maybe someone else here on CC can correct me if my memory is failing me. It seemed that there was much availability on our cruise for specialty dining in the early part of the week and the last few nights were much busier in the specialty restaurants. On the first day of the cruise, there were Tamarind employees throughout the ship offering a discount if anyone was interested in dining there that evening (not sure if that's always the case but thought I would give you a head's up in case it's of interest). If you book specialty dining, swing by the restaurant in advance and try to request a window table (doesn't hurt to ask and more likely if you ask in advance I think) because the scenery in Alaska is so beautiful. We spotted whale tails from dinner two times!

I hope you enjoy!

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I'd like to know more about the gala nights. What are they about? Are they worth it?

Just fancier/dressier evenings. No extra cost. Passengers dress up more for dinner on the gala nights than other nights and the food offerings in the main dining room are typically a little more upscale too (lobster, steak, baked Alaska type offerings). On the Nieuw Amsterdam in Alaska I didn't see passengers dressed up quite as fancy as on other itineraries we've been on (I'm guessing that is in part because of the colder weather and in part because of the limited suitcase space that many guests might have because one needs many layers for this itinerary such as coats, hats, gloves, sweaters, which may leave less room for gowns and suits). There were some ladies in sequined dresses and men in suits on our cruise on gala nights but the majority were dressed less fancy than that. Back in the old days when I cruised as a kid with my family I remember seeing many men wearing tuxedos and ladies wearing ball gowns but that was definitely not the norm on our recent Nieuw Amsterdam cruise. I hope you enjoy your trip!

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Here is my problem! My husband and I are seasoned travelers on land and sea, but my sister and her husband are not! We want them to take an Alaska land/cruise tour with us in early June 2018 and my brother-in-law is deathly scared he will get seasick! I do not think he realizes how large cruise ships are and that most people don't have seasick problems. I do understand that some people do get seasick, but I need advice to help him through his fears! He has glaucoma and can not use a patch, but I don't honestly think he would need a patch anyway. Since I have never been on a cruise in Alaska, am I wrong to believe that it is very gentle cruising. We would be cruising inside southbound from Anchorage to Vancouver with only sea day being last day. Please give me info so I can help him with his fears! Anyone out there have any issues with seasickness on Alaska cruises?

We did a Vancouver RT in July and had fairly calm waters and didn't get sick at all. There was one day while out at sea on this Alaska cruise where I felt a bit of motion and took a Bonine just in case but no one else in my family needed any. I do tend to get sea sick on fishing and scuba trips on smaller ships if I don't take Bonine but have generally done well on large cruise ships (with the exception of one Caribbean cruise with unusually rough seas where the motion was so bad that the drawers and cabinet doors in our cabin were opening and closing). If your brother in law hasn't spent much time on the water in the past it's hard to predict how he will feel. I agree with the others that your brother in law should talk to his doctor about what options would be best for him in light of any health issues he may have so that he goes prepared for the worst and hopefully won't need any of the meds. I usually travel with Sea Bands, Bonine, and will drink ginger ale if the seas seem to look like they might be getting a little rough. Keep in mind that Alaska excursions include options like helicopter and floatplane rides, salmon fishing and whale watching trips, etc, that could make some people feel motion sickness so you might want to consider bringing some of the over the counter remedies for your family just in case.

Alaska is so beautiful and one of our favorite family vacations. I hope you have a wonderful time there with your family!

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I have booked the 5/19/18 Nieuw Amsterdam cruise from Vancouver, but now I am debating on whether I should book the same date in the Eurodam. The flights are much more reasonable and I can get a Neptune on Eurodam with Explore 4 for the same rate as a Neptune on Nieuw Amsterdam without Explore 4. DH and I have visited Alaska twice for two weeks each for land vacations but have never cruised Alaska. So I just don't know which is better for us. What are your opinions? Maybe that can help me make up my mind. I appreciate everyone's time!

 

 

 

-Tananda

I think both are wonderful options. We had a similar decision to make for this summer and decided on the Nieuw Amsterdam based on friends' recommendations. We did the Nieuw Amsterdam out of Vancouver this July although we flew to/from Seattle because we could get direct flights with frequent flier miles. We really liked the ship itself and the itinerary. We flew into Seattle, rented a car and spent a few days in the Olympic Peninsula exploring the beautiful national park areas before heading up to Vancouver. We took a ferry (with the rental car) to Victoria and then continued our travels with another ferry to Vancouver. The whole thing was less complicated than expected and very scenic. We enjoyed Victoria (we spent a few hours at the garden and did the high tea which was lovely) but we were blown away by Alaska and would probably be more inclined to recommend a cruise that spent more time in Alaska and skipped Victoria. I thought Victoria was pretty and I'm glad we went but I wouldn't return. All of the 3 Alaska ports on our cruise had excellent excursions available and the Glacier Bay viewing day was a favorite.

Our travel agent mentioned that he had done the HAL coach transfer himself between Seattle and Vancouver and found it comfortable and reasonably priced (around $65 I think). We opted for the rental car because of the places we wanted to explore but the coach may be something you want to consider if you decide on the NA but prefer to fly into Seattle. The Amtrak train is another good option but the bus would be easier as everything is coordinated by HAL for you.

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I have done a search, but can't find my answer! I have one of the "old" ATM cards, not a debit card. Can those be used to withdraw money at ATM machines especially in Italy? It only has a magnetic strip on the back and of course, I use a PIN that is 4 digits. Thanks in advance!

I also have "traditional" ATM cards that do not have MC or Visa logo and hence can only be used to withdraw cash with a PIN code. They can't be used to buy merchandise at a store. I have regular credit cards that are not debit cards. As others have mentioned, the aftermath of having your debit card stolen or compromised as opposed to your traditional credit card compromised is more stressful in my opinion as the former could temporarily wipe out your bank account balance for a few days or more while the bank investigates which could cause your checks to bounce, etc. Most banks issue the ATM debit cards (with credit card logo) as the default but you can ask for one without that. My ATM cards do have chip technology now as do all my credit cards since at least a year ago and I had no trouble using any of them while traveling abroad (in Europe, including Italy, and Latin America). Maybe call your bank just to be sure there's no reason your card wouldn't work abroad and to let them know where you'll be so that their fraud department is aware of your whereabouts?

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Is it doable to walk from the hotel (Pacific Rim) to the Celebrity cruise terminal? It will be me and my sister. She uses a mobility scooter so I'll be pulling two full-size suitcases. Is this something that is possible or should I make accommodations with the hotel? We're leaving next Friday (flying in Thursday)!

Call your Fairmont (or email the concierge) and ask to confirm whether they offer complimentary luggage transfer service or any transportation to the cruise port. I'm sure they must help cruise passengers daily with this request, including guests with mobility issues. We stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront right across from the cruise port and they transferred the bags directly to the ship at no cost (you tip the bellman of course but the hotel doesn't charge a fee). I worry that the walk from the Fairmont Pacific Rim might not be pleasant for you if you have to pull both big suitcases plus any carry on luggage for the two of you all by yourself, especially if the weather is rainy that day. Would you be able to easily hop in a taxi with the type of mobility scooter your sister has?

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We are looking at taking our kids on their 1st cruise next March over spring break, the 10-day on Reflection, (they will be 11 & 13 at sailing). We were thinking there may be more kids than usual being spring break (a plus for us), but since it's a 10-day, maybe not. We didn't love the itinerary as much on the 7-day, so we prefer the 10-day. But we also don't want them to be the only kids their age onboard. Thoughts please?!

On both Celebrity and HAL in the past, our travel agent has been able to confirm with the cruise lines the number of kids already booked on a particular cruise we were considering. Just call and ask. Our kids are now 11 and 13 and our experience has been that the kids club programs through about ages 10-11 are generally pretty good on the ships we've been on but that the tweens and teens may not be interested in these structured club activities and instead might find each other at ping pong tables, basketball courts, etc. and the teen club is often empty.

I hope Celebrity can provide the number of kids booked so far for your sailing. And maybe you can also find some old daily programs for that cruise online so that you can get a feel for the type of programming/entertainment offered and consider whether your family would enjoy the offerings. If you find out that there will be few kids on board but love the itinerary and decide to go for it, you will probably still have a wonderful time together as a family.

I hope you have a fabulous vacation.

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No MDR on Gala nights? We will probably do those. Is Tamarind open or closed for lunch?

They had two gala nights in the MDR but we didn't go. Tamarind wasn't open for lunch on our cruise. I had heard from others on this board that Tamarind sometimes does a great dim sum lunch but it wasn't offered on our cruise. Pinnacle was open for lunch a few times on sea days for $10 extra charge but we didn't do that because we were at the pool (we rented a cabana and ate lunch in the cabana on sea days as the Lido was very crowded).

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How was the food in the MDR? Did you go to Pinnacle or Tamarind?

Only went to MDR once (embarkation day lunch around 1pm); it was not crowded at that time and the service and food were good. The room was nicely decorated. I thought the portions were perfect for me but small compared to other cruises we've been on (had a small salad for app and a tuna tostada for entree which had one taco shell and about half a cup of tuna). Ate at Pinnacle and Tamarind for dinner and enjoyed both. The waitstaff at both were very experienced and friendly and the food was very good. At Pinnacle I would recommend the steaks and lamb and at Tamarind our family liked everything we ordered (except the sea bass which they kindly replaced for us) but especially the lobster, chicken curry and the lamb. I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise!

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Thank you Alberta Quilter...feeling much better!! :)

I assume the conditions may vary significantly from day to day but I thought it might be helpful for you to see a couple of photos I snapped last week during our whale watching in Juneau that show you the types of whale watching boats that I encountered as well as the condition of the water at around 2-3pm. We booked directly with HAL and the local operator was Gastineau Guiding. I hope the photos attach properly; first time posting photos here.

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We will sail on her on October. Can't wait. I have more questions about the spa. I'm used to NCL and they have warm ceramic lounge chairs. I love them. Is there something similar on Niew Amsterdam? What is the hour of the spa?

Also, can you talk about the shows? do you remember the hour?

Thanks!

Yes! There are ceramic lounge chairs in the spa and they look out to the ocean. Very pretty. I don't recall the hours of the spa. Our favorite shows were the BBKing Blues Lounge and I think they were usually 2-3 times per night (45 minutes each show) but the times varied from night to night (for example they might do an 8:30 and then a 9:45 on the same night) but it was posted in the program for each day so you won't miss it. The shows in the theater I honestly didn't think were that great; some nights there was only one show at 9:30 and other nights two shows (maybe around 7 and 10pm but I'm not certain).

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Ditto question. Also, are they worth it on an Alaska cruise? Thx!

 

 

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We booked a Lido cabana (by the main pool with the retractable roof) for $50/day for a sea day for our Alaska cruise. There were plenty of lounge chairs available around the pool so it's not essential to get a cabana but it was very nice. We saw the retreat cabanas but they were on a higher deck (not next to a pool) and we didn't really consider them because we thought it would be too cold for us there. But we are from Florida so take our advice about "cold" with a grain of salt ;)

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Thank you for the information Suzanne, just reading the other questions that you have answered has been very informative. We sail on her Sept 16 out of Vancouver. I enjoy swimming and was not expecting the pool to be open at that time of year heading in that direction. Is the pool suitable for lap swims?

 

 

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There were two pools... the main one is the one with the retractable roof (roof was closed all but one day last week) which is right in the center of the ship with three hottubs around it and is open to kids and a second pool that was outdoors designated for adults only with a few more hottubs (that one was next to the smoking area and the pizza quick service restaurant). I don't think either is large enough for proper laps but you could have a little mini-swim in the main pool year round if they use that roof. There were kids splashing around last week but by the time you go in Sept I think you should have very few kids on board as kids should be back in school by then. We were told that there were about 100 kids on board last week which is a lot for HAL but very few for a July Alaska cruise generally. If you enjoy the pool it may also be helpful to you to know in advance that there are a few cabanas that you can rent for $50/day at that main pool. I don't think you need one because there are usually plenty of lounge chairs but they have a view out to sea and someone to bring you drinks and fruit and lunch so it might be a nice treat on a sea day or the glacier bay day as it will be another place to view the beautiful scenery. We learned about this on embarkation day and booked two days which we enjoyed. There were also cabanas called "the retreat" elsewhere on a higher deck that one could rent but those were outside, not next to a pool, and seemed too cold for us Floridians so we didn't really check them out.

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How much for the spa pass TIA

 

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I think it was $249 total for both of us for the whole week. I think you can also just pay for a one day pass instead.

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Did you take the cooking class offered by America'S Test Kitchen? Wondered what the format was like and what the price was. Will be sailing on her in November and appreciate your information. Thanks!

We attended a dumpling themed class on a sea day. It was not hands on so it was like sitting in the live audience of a tv cooking show. The chef was great (very knowledgeable and engaging) and answered many questions from the audience. There was no cost to attend. I noticed complimentary chile, salmon and chocolate themed cooking shows on the daily programs but didn't notice anything that seemed hands on (which would presumably involve a fee and require a sign up). Maybe that wasn't offered on our sailing because of the code red for noro or maybe it was offered and I missed it? Have fun on your cruise! It's a great ship :)

How was the ship?:)

The ship was really nice. Obviously not brand new but everything was in good condition. The decor of the ship is very tasteful and contemporary with a New York theme. We liked that the main pool had a retractable roof so that guests could enjoy the pool even on cold or rainy days. The spa was also beautiful (you can buy a pass to use the spa even if you don't get a service which is really nice and relaxing with the steam rooms and hydrotherapy pool). The room used for both America's Test Kitchen by day and BB King by night was very comfortable and everyone enjoyed many shows there. There was norovirus on board last week which made them go into a "code red" situation; that did not affect us as no one we know became ill but is a good reminder to be very cognizant about hand washing with soap and water before eating instead of only using sanitizer.

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Thoughts...

 

• 
   
  
• how was embarkation?
   
  
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  • what time did you arrive at the cruise terminal? Did you walk or taxi?
     
    
  • what time did you get onto the ship?
     
    

   

  [*]how was debarkation?

   

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  • what time were you assigned to leave the ship?
     
    
  • how long did it take to reach the taxi line?
     
    

   

Embarkation was easy because we had a suite (there's a separate line that had no one waiting for the Neptune/Pinnacle Suites and 4 and 5 star Mariners). The other line was long but not ridiculous like we have seen at other ports. We arrived at 11am. Stayed at Fairmont waterfront across the street so just walked (Fairmont sends your bags over for you which is nice); cruise terminal was not too hectic even though three ships in port. We had to go through security and US immigration (Global Entry line was very short so be sure to look for that if you have GE as the regular line was pretty long) so all in all we were in our room before noon.

Debarkation was a little disorganized at the cruise port but not horrible (just a long squiggly line to walk out through customs but moved fast). We were told everyone had to be off ship by 9:30; we walked off at 9am and walked back to Fairmont with our bags because we didn't have too many suitcases and all had wheels. Porters were available for those who needed help. Did not notice how long the taxi line was.

Let me know if you think of anything else. Have fun!!!

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Need to go twice!!!

You might need to :) We really enjoyed it. The food was wonderful and the waitstaff was the friendliest on our ship.

A few other suggestions...

-not sure if all the HAL ships with Tamarind have the same set up (we were on the Nieuw Amsterdam) but there was a lovely bar called Silk Den next to Tamarind with beautiful Asian decor that was one of the prettiest and least crowded spaces on the ship with really beautiful views.

-On our first day on board the Tamarind team was stationed near the Lido selling discounted dinners (maybe just for the first night???) We had pre-booked our dinners but if you are flexible you may get a better price on board. It seemed that Tamarind was much busier the last two nights of the cruise and had more space available the first few nights.

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Our family was just on the Nieuw Amsterdam last week out of Vancouver to Alaska. I'll be posting a full review but also wanted to offer to answer any questions anyone might have about this ship/itinerary/etc because so many people on this forum were so kind in helping us with all sorts of advice in advance of our cruise.

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Our whale watching tour from Juneau on Aug. 28 has been changed from 1:30pm to 4:30pm. It is approximately 4 hours, getting us back to the ship after 8:30. We'll have to change etc. and wonder if this gives us enough time to do everything and have dinner? Also will it be rougher later in the day? I've never cruised before and my biggest issue is fear of motion sickness!! It's the Whale and Wildlife tour and wonder if there is any alternative whale watching trips you would recommend earlier in the day? Or maybe this is all a good thing as the whales come out later in the day!?!! Thanks.

We did the whale watching/mendenhall glacier photo safari tour last week and highly recommend it. We chose it because of the small group size (about 12-16 max). The whale watching on the small boat was really special and the mendenhall glacier trail hike was beautiful and not intense. The guide Cam was a professional photographer who has lived in Alaska for decades and was very engaging and helped everyone take beautiful photos (some fellow guests were using very fancy professional cameras and others were using simple point and shoot cameras and still others were using iPhones). The tour was around 1:30 and the conditions were good. I tend to get seasick so I took a Bonine in advance but did not feel ill at all on the small boat as the water was pretty calm and the boat was stable. Enjoy your trip!

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Not being a sushi/sashimi fan myself, I haven't paid much attention, but I think you can either get a couple of pieces as an appetizer or more pieces as a main. Hope someone can answer definitively. :)

We were just on the Nieuw Amsterdam last week and ate at Tamarind twice...happy to answer any questions. There was a soup course (I tried the shrimp wonton soup once and thought it was just ok), then an appetizer course (shrimp tempura was a favorite), followed by a sushi course (choice of nigiri sushi, sashimi, rolls... we liked lobster roll), entree (our family really liked the lobster and lamb and chicken curry entrees but not the sea bass) and dessert (I liked the coconut rice pudding, kids liked Thai donuts, hubby enjoyed the Tamarind chocolate which is like a spicy chocolate). I think many guests don't order all the courses because it is just too much food but if you are hungry you definitely can. The waitresses were very helpful about making recommendations and about switching out the few things we didn't like.

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I'm interested in hearing about any ship in the last few days......

We are on HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam this week and were just told by the concierge that the Tracy Arm catamaran excursion yesterday morning was cancelled as well as a few of the Skagway helicopter tours today.

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We are just off the Nieuw Amsterdam and there WAS a children's menu......our grandkids were offered it every night in the Dining Room.

crayons were not available' date=' but we had brought our own to keep the kids happy while waiting.

 

We (Gram and Grandpa) traveled with our three adult children, their spouses, and eight grandchildren, aged 12 down to 2. We found service in the MDR was excellent and much easier than going to the Lido. We had 2 large tables and wonderful service.....the kids loved it. The MDR was fairly empty at 5:30, so our wait staff was able to really pay attention to us.

 

Club HAL.....our 12 year old grandson and 5 year old grandsons had to be dragged out every evening. Our 3 girl cousins preferred to be their own company, but everyone enjoyed the trip.

 

Grandpa and I had an aft wrap balcony, and the younger ones had 6 cabins in a row, 2 adjoining ones per family. They had the dividers opened so they had one long balcony for cousinly visits, and our room was the gathering place as it was so much larger. It was wonderful, and a very good time was had by all.[/quote']

 

 

 

Hi Avery's Gram,

We will be on the Nieuw Amsterdam in 2 weeks with our kids, ages 11 and 13. We picked the cruise because we liked the itinerary (especially wanted to see Glacier Bay) and because the dates and prices worked for us. Just wondering if you might have any suggestions of any activities/shows onboard that your grandkids especially enjoyed (in addition to the amazing scenery and the naturalists on board which is the main draw) that you might recommend to us to keep on our radar? We've booked excursions that we're all excited about, have binoculars and cameras for the kids, and some great books and movies ready for the trip too as our travel agent had told us that HAL may have much less activities for the kids than other cruise lines. Thank you in advance for any advice :)

 

 

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When we arrived at the Barcelona port last July at the end of our Celebrity cruise the lines for taxis was incredibly long. We had arranged with our hotel for a car to pick us up and all went smoothly. The driver mentioned that the lines for taxis vary quite a bit and can be over an hour wait on days when many ships disembark simultaneously. Just wanted to offer a head's up on this in case that influences your decision

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Yes. Let me start by saying, we usually plan our own excursions. The HAL transfer was great. When we boarded the bus, the driver asked if we were going to the airport or a hotel. We indicated a hotel and he separated our luggage.

 

The bus pulled in what I think was an expedited slot and we all produced our passports at the border crossing. We did have a bathroom break at that point as it is a 2-3 hour trip.

 

Upon arriving in Seattle, we dropped off the airport passengers. Our driver then asked which airport hotel we were staying at and dropped us off at the Doubletree. If people had a downtown hotel, they could take the light train at that point.

 

It was the "way to go" in our opinion.

Thank you so much for your reply. Do you recall how luggage was handled? Did HAL get your luggage from your room to the bus or did you have to handle that? And whether luggage had to get on/off the bus and inspected for border crossing into US?

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